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Show The Salt Lake Tribune ARTSSunday, April 27,1997 DS Utah Opera Will Open Its Season With ‘Lucia’ Utah Opera joins the international opera world next season in celebrating the art form's 400th anniversary. Among the company’s four 1997-98 productions will be Monteverdi's 1642 master- piece “The Coronation of Poppea.” Rounding out the season will be Donizetti's “Lucia di Lammermoor,”’ Gounod’s *‘Romeo and Juliet” and Verdi's “La Traviata.” “Lucia” opens the season at Salt Lake City’s Capitol Theatre. running Oct. 18-26. The bel-canto favorite, with a family feud un- folding on the misty moors’ of Scotland, will be conducted “hy Qt Photos by Craig Law Gilgal sculpture gardenattracts religious pilgrims, scholars and novelty-seeking teens. Anton Coppola (a frequent and popular guestin the Capitol Theatre pit) and directed by Linda Brovsky. Jan Grissom will sitig Condos Soon MayShareSpiritual Space Occupied by Gilgal Sculpture Garden thetitle role; Michael Myers (Don José in this season’s “Carmen”) returns All things are not paradisiacal in Paradise Garden, a visionary environment in in Summerville, stroying the garden. Attempts to “save” Gilgal have Ga., built by folk artist the Rev. HowardFinster. Its story is simi- Many people along the Wasatch lar to that of Gilgal, a sanctuary Front are taking the latest threat seriously andare trying to find a constructed by the late ThomasB. Child. wayto save Gilgal and provide appropriate compensation to the hind a Wonder Bread plant near Salt Lake City’s Trolley Square. The garden regularly attracts reiligious pilgrims, scholars and noy‘elty-seeking teen-agers. A pro- FRANK McENTIRE posed major changeinits nature ‘— condominium construction — 12 stonesby the leaders of the 12 tribesof Israel when they crossed has many people worried. Paradise Garden and Gilgal wereconstructedto express spiri- tual convictionsin material terms. Finster, born in 1916 andstill an active folk artist in the South, was “saved” at age 13 during a Methodist revival meeting and started preaching three yearslat- er in Baptist tent revivals. Child (1888-1963) held ecclesiastical and community-servicepo- sitions for most of his life. He spent 19 years sculpting Gilgal, about as long ashis calling as an ‘LDS Church bishop. ‘ Both men were unschooled in the arts but driven by a passion to convey a personalspiritualvision. (Child quoted 19th-century Eng- lish art critie John Ruskin’s Stones of Venice: “It is the love and thoughts of the workman morethan his work. His work may always be imperfect, but his thoughts and affections must be fe." rue. Child began building Gilgal in 1945. He was one of the best stonemasons in Utah and,after 19 years as a bishop, wanted to use his skills to provide a physical declaration of his beliefs in Jesus Christ and the highest aspirations of Mormonism. Gilgal is a word used in the Old Testamentto describe the circular altar made of the River Jordan into the Promised Land Sculpting in the garden continued until Chiid’s death at age 75. Heorchestrated the work of hundreds of volunteers and hired manual laborers, an architect, a gardenerand finishing sculptor to execute his concepts. His first work wasa grotto-enclosed stone cross in his north side yard. Thirteen other sculptural arrangements — all connected by stone paths inscribed with philosophical statements, poetry and scriptures — followed: ‘“Com- mander of the Lord’s Host,” “Altar,” “Sphinx” (with the face of founding Mormon prophet Jo- seph Smith), “Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream,” “Work for the Dead,” search Gilgal. Project director Melody Moore said the gardenis a “state treasure. It is a unique and important cultural site.” The asnonprofit organization to pur- chase, restore and maintain the garden. ing into a globeto be placed ona stack of three massive stone books. Now, 34 years after his death, the owners of the garden might soon completeit, but not as envisioned by Child. They plan to surround the major sculptures with a subdivision of condominium units, compromisingif not de- information, contact Fetzer at 359-8813. Thoseinterested in helping preserve Gilgal may contact Mel- odyMooreatFriends of Gilgal, 187 D St., No. 5, Salt LakeCity, UT 84103. Or phone 375-3527. ter-in-law, Hortense Smith, “‘he didn’t leave a lot of inheritance. Andthe sad thing is no money was town in a former marshy dump Will people in Utah say the same thing about Gilgal during about a hundred miles northwest of Atlanta, Gilgal is in a bustling city. It is prime open space in the heart of a city block surrounded on its west by businesses and its east by modest old homes, a his- toric schoolhouse and the LDS 10th Ward chapel where Child wasonce bishop. left to maintain the garden.” the next few years that a Summerville business ownersaid in 1994 when he learned that Paradise Garden was being sold off in piecesto art collectors and museums? “We all failed to recognize Finster’s importance,” he said with hindsight. Neither the town After Child's death, his widow, nor its museum norindividuals Bertha, sold the garden to Henry P. Fetzer, a neighbor who helped accepted Finster’s offer several Gilgal remains unfinished. was a huge boulder he wascarv- ings can be made with Grant Fetzer, 452 S. 800 East. For more Unlike Paradise Garden, which is in a small Blue Ridge Mountain care for the garden and cannot agree about its future. Similarly, Paradise Garden's inheritors cannot agree about Child’s final work, barely started, Gilgal is at 749 E. 500 South in Salt Lake City. It is open on a her husband work on it. The Fetzerheirs have not been able to i: “Nature,” “Death,” ‘‘Peace,” ‘‘Trade,” “Priesthood” and “Love.” stage director. “The Coronation of Poppea.” Sundays during daylight hours. Appointments for special view- of professional art historians, raised funds to document and re- what to do with the unusual and popular outdoortreasures of sacred art entrusted to their care. Maintaining the two gardens has been a burden. To most of the children and grandchildren, the gardens seem morealbatross than asset Child spent a great sum of money building his garden, but according to his scribe and daugh- Young Artist Program graduate George Dyer (who recently has been performing at New York City Opera) as Tybalt. Hal France (‘Elixir of Love,” 1986) will con- duct, with Michael Ehrman as cently formed Utah organization “Eagles” Testimony of Jol Thomas B. Child's “Sphinx,” with the face of LDS Church founder Joseph Smith, is one of Gilgal’s top attractions. @ In Searchof Gilgal i Nicholas thetitle roles, with Utah Opera owners. Associated Art Historians, a re- sociation favors Edgardo. uled Jan. 17-25. Stephen Mark Brown and AmyBurton will sing come and gone over the years. Gilgal is a sculpture garden be- as Lorenis Enrico “Romeo and Juliet” is sched- are not guaranteed protection. “We will never know exactly how many environments have disappeared,” said art critic John Mai- zels. The East Central Community Council plans to visit Gilgal on May 14. Although not a formal application, it appears that family representative Stephen Fetzer’s condominium subdivision plan. with alterations allowing for the number of regulated parking stalls, improved driveway access one of the finest surviving examples from the early years of opera, will play March 7-15. It re- volves around the Roman emperor Nero andhis love for the beautiful Poppea. Onlyhis wife. Ottavia, and the philosopher Seneca stand in the way of Nero crowning Poppea as empress of Rome. Martin Pearlman, director of Boston Baroque Orchestra, will conduct; Alexander Gelman -of the University of Utah theater faculty will direct. Gelman most recently directed “The Turn*of the Screw” for Utah Opera. Lani Poulson, a Tremonton native enjoying a thriving career, will por: tray Ottavia. Poulson’s annual ré+ citals for the Nova series are a highlight of the Salt Lake City chamber-music season; this wil! be her first appearance with Utah Opera. MatthewLord will portray Nero, with countertenor David Sabella (currently seen as Mary much less nationally. This Circle for emergencyvehicles, and other changes, could qualify for construction approval. If so, discussions by the council and other government agencies will weigh issues of individual property rights and cultural heritage. the family of American visionary Ideally, the emerging coalition the title role of Violetta. Jianyi to protect Gilgal will find what artist David Sucec called “a winwin solution with the citizens of Utahinheriting a wonderful envi- will sing therole of Alfredo, with years earlier to buy the 4-acre garden intact. “No one around here really appreciated him.” Gilgal is little-known in Utah, of Sacred Stones has yet to join environments and benefit from the protections provided by rec. ognition. Othervisionary environments, Gilgal’s kindred spirits, are found across the nation. In California are Sabatino “Simon” Rodia’s Watts Towers. Kansas claims J.P. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden and Oklahoma claims Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park. Even with acclaim, such works ronmental work of art and the family being properly remunerated.” Frank McEntire, a sculptor and curator, is The Salt Lake Tribune’s art critic. Sunshine in the Broadwayproduction of “Chicago”) as Ottone. “La Traviata” closes the season May 16-24. The ever-popular tear-jerker features Sally Wolf in Zhang, who played Rodolfo in Utah Opera’s 1995 “La boheme,” Victor Ledbetter as Germont. Cai Kellogg (“The Italian Girl in Al- giers,” 1994) returns to conduct with Sandra Bernhardasstagedirector. Season renewal for current Utah Opera subscribers is under way, with new subscription sales available in early July. Call 3236878. Subscriptions start at $40. UTAH OPERA. PR-E-S ENTS (ModernDisplayOffers You Utah’Largest& BestSelection of. (You know, Mozart's Moran'sDayMewonns WRAPPEDINPORCELAN good musical.) 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